Treated badly in Homer

For years, a group of Harley-Davidson motorcyclists ride to Homer in early May to spend the night and enjoy pizza at a favorite spot at the base of the Homer Spit where we’ve always been treated well. This is a group of motorcyclists who are family-oriented, ride and have fun, don’t smoke or usually even have more than one drink.

This year an exception to this normally fun adventure was the treatment our group received. Knowing we had a group from Anchorage meeting with a group of locals, we called ahead and asked if we could bring about 21 patrons to the restaurant. We were told yes.

The 10 local folks arrived and were seated. The motorcyclists, wearing their protective leather gear arrived. At the outset, we were treated rudely. As we tried to be seated, we were told there would be a room fee of $75 for taking up tables (a fee that was not mentioned when calling for the reservation). However, the locals in our group were told they were OK and they could stay. I asked for the owner/manager, who told me the $75 was for taking up half the dining room. I told her we were all going to be eating (we’d ridden down specifically to eat here), but was rudely told there would be a $75 room fee. At that point, 21 people got up, left and went to the Harbor Grill on the Spit where we were treated well and spent $400 or more.

I am appalled by how we were treated, apparently due to wearing black leather.

Just to be clear, I will continue to come to Homer, as will dozens of other motorcyclists multiple times each summer, but only frequent those establishments who wish to receive some of our discretionary income, including the Driftwood Inn, AJ’s Old Town Steakhouse, Duncan House and the Harbor Grill.

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But now that I know that was the restaurant in question I can attest that it wasn't because they we're wearing leathers and had nothing to do with them being "bikers" as I do know the owner and their family personally and they have many friends and family members that ride the 75 dollars was for taking up so much room not because they had their leathers on.

Here's what I don't get---why would the Restaurant charge $75 because paying customers were "taking up so much room"? What if those 21 people did not come in as a group, and came in, say as 1 or two families of 3 or 4, etc. Who would pay the $75 then for the people occupying the same amount of space...sounds to me like the Restaurant is trying to rip off the riders. Also, for you who don't know; HD riders LOVE to eat and spend good money at eating establishments!!!

My husband and I, who are a pleasant, quiet, decent tipping party of two received the worst service at Starvin' Marvins. When I called to complain I found out the "manager" was the rude waitress who had served us. To make matters worse, her relatives own the place, so we knew it was pointless to complain further. I am glad somebody else spoke up. We won't eat there until they are under new management. There are plenty of good places with friendly faces to waste your money on Starvin' Marvins! Instead you can try The Bagel Shop, Wasabi's, The Boatyard Cafe, Alice's & AJ's, just to name the best.

Any restaurant that punishes customers for meeting there (and charging a cover when a bunch of people independently show up there is punishment) hasn't got a clue about good business. In the lower 48, lots of restaurants will actually offer special deals when groups come in on slow nights. And what the heck does the owner care whether his tables are filled with folks who know each other or with folks that don't? The goal is to fill the restaurant and sell the food, isn't it?

If a large group wishes to reserve the place, that's a different story. But that doesn't sound like what happened here.